The Australian Government is committed to providing the Norfolk Island community with opportunities to have a say on government decisions that affect them.
In support of this commitment, the Australian Government has established the Norfolk Island Governance Committee (NIGC). The NIGC met for the first time on 18 October 2023 and members include three democratically elected representatives from the Norfolk Island community.
The NIGC facilitates discussions with key stakeholders involved in on-island government service delivery and governance matters. The NIGC provides opportunity to strengthen cultural recognition and input into decision-making while the Australian Government continues to work on re-stablishing a democratically elected local governance body on Norfolk Island.
The role of the Norfolk Island Governance Committee
The NIGC plays a key role in helping set service delivery priorities and shaping how these services are delivered on Norfolk Island. The committee is working collaboratively to design and deliver solutions that best meet the needs of the Norfolk Island community and service delivery stakeholders.
Norfolk Island Governance Committee membership
Membership for the NIGC is structured as follows:
- three democratically elected community representatives
- the Norfolk Island Administrator
- one representative from the Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts
- one representative from the Queensland Government Department of Premier and Cabinet.
Community representatives
The NIGC community representatives provide the NIGC with important context regarding Norfolk Island culture and lived experience in relation to issues before the NIGC.
They play a critical role in representing the views of the Norfolk Island community in NIGC discussions by:
- seeking the community's views on matters that come before the committee
- raising issues with the committee that are important to the community
- providing advice and recommendations regarding issues of importance to the Norfolk Island community
- working with Australian and Queensland Government representatives and officials to identify practical solutions to governance and service delivery questions
- communicating the committee's decisions and outcomes back to the Norfolk Island community.
The role of the community representatives
The community representative positions are paid, part-time positions. Community representatives:
- attend scheduled committee meetings
- meet regularly with community members to receive community views on a range of issues
- draft agenda papers for committee consideration
- present objective views when forming advice that will be presented to government
- help set priorities for government service delivery on Norfolk Island by providing input on community needs and help shape the best way for those services to be delivered
- build an understanding of the legislative framework and laws applying to Norfolk Island and provide input on how to improve them to meet the community's needs
- provide input to the committee about how the heritage, distinct culture and traditions of the island's community can be considered in governance and service delivery matters.
As part of community engagement activities in their elected roles, the Norfolk Island Governance Committee community representatives will be at the Supper Room, Rawson Hall every Wednesday from 4:00pm to 6:00pm (unless it is a public holiday) to meet with members of the community. Any community organisation wishing to have a meeting with the community representatives or any person wishing to have a private discussion, please email NIGCcommunityreps@gmail.com to arrange this.
Written submissions on governance models can be provided directly to the community representatives or through the Office of the Administrator. Submissions will be welcome until 1 March 2024.
Further information on community engagement activities and submissions lodged is available through the NIGC community representatives website.
NIGC terms of reference
The NIGC terms of reference provide information about how the NIGC will operate.
New governance model—supporting information
Information on the new governance model to be implemented for Norfolk Island.
Communiques and community updates
- NIGC communique—20 November 2024
- Norfolk Island Governance Committee—Community engagement notice—revised Preamble—24 October 2024
- NIGC communique 7—28 August 2024
- Defining the nature of the relationship between Norfolk Island and the Commonwealth of Australia—18 July 2024
- Community update on proposal for new governing body—5 July 2024
- NIGC communique—31 May 2024, 12 June 2024 and 13 June 2024
- NIGC communique—17 April 2024
- NIGC communique—20 March2024
- NIGC communique—15 February 2024
- NIGC communique—6 February 2024
- NIGC communique—6 December 2023
- NIGC communique—18 October 2023
NIGC public register of matters
The NIGC is a committee designed to facilitate discussions among the key stakeholders involved in government service delivery on Norfolk Island. The NIGC will discuss, provide advice and make recommendations on issues of importance to the Norfolk Island community.
No. The NIGC will help to facilitate discussion with the Norfolk Island community until a locally elected governance body is reinstated on the island.
The NIGC community election was conducted in line with the election rules on 11 October 2023.
The three elected community representatives are Chris Magri, Alma Davidson and Chelsea Evans.
Further information
If you have a question about the NIGC, please email NorfolkIslandGovernance@infrastructure.gov.au.